fitforafemme.com

CONFESSION: I have great news and I have side effect of great news, which would you like first? So, the great news is that I have yet another exciting freelance project that I’m really excited about and cannot stop working on. This is in addition to the two pre-existing freelance projects I’ve got and the side effect is, of course, that I’m busier than I can even wrap my mind around. I wore this into the office on Friday. Maybe I buttoned a few more buttons, but still.

Also, I was in Napa all day today. I know, I know! Poor, poor Skinny! I want to write more but I am exhausted and happy from a full day of work and play and M is waiting to get into bed as I type, so I’ll post some pics of our delicious lunch in the wine country earlier today and will do my best to post in abundance this week:

PS. I suppose if one wanted to, one could guess which drink goes with which entree and which dessert between M, the petite and I!

PPS. I so wasn’t going to post this outfit, but the SLEEVES. I love the sleeves. They’re ridiculous. Also, our dry cleaner lost this shirt nearly a year ago, along with over half a dozen of M’s shirts – when I picked up our most recent batch they sheepishly handed over the lost items with a mostly unintelligible explanation as to why they’d been lost to begin with. RETURN OF THE LOST SHIRTS. Awesome. Like Christmas in June.

Confession: Well, my new sewing machine arrived this week, so I’ve stocked up on supplies and sewing books from the library. I started practicing on a bag of ratty t-shirts from the donation piles, but bored rather easily and grabbed several yards of fabric, dug up the vintage dress pattern I’ve been hoarding for years and promptly froze up, overwhelmed (perhaps I bid on several lots of vintage dress patterns, who can say?).

I’ve got a busy, busy weekend – we have an appointment to go see a flat in an hour! – but in between the roller derby, dancing my ass off at Club Gossip’s Adam Ant vs. The Pirates party tomorrow night, very luxe femme time at the The Claremont spa with my very best friend and fantastical Mother’s Day shenanigans, I do hope to knock out at least one dress, and butcher a few of M’s t-shirts into awesomely wearable tops for myself. If I manage it, I’ll document and post the results early next week! SUPER EXCITING! YAY!

Scent: Santa Maria Novella’s Toscano was lovely at first, it really was. I didn’t know whether or not this was a feminine or masculine scent, because while it had aspects of the latter it was still quite sweet and alluring – it’s actually unisex! It began like a curious, unexpected filling in an otherwise predictable cookie, but unfortunately, after the dry down all that was left was a lingering sweet rice note that reminded me of my cunty Filipino grandmother, so that was that.

For everyone else, the fragrance, with notes of bergamot, jasmine, tobacco, birch leaf, vanilla, burnt malt and amber, is typically well-received and noted for being “easy to wear.” The official description reads “…inspired by the famous Toscano cigars of Lucca in Italy, Santa Maria Novella’s latest addition Tabacco Toscano opens with a sparkling fruity-floral note and quickly changes into a warm and leathery yet airy tobacco scent.”

Confession: So, I am pretty sure that I’m still high on adrenaline from my women’s self-defense class tonight. It was so fantastic. There were two instructors; one young woman who did most of the work and coaching, and a lanky guy with tattoos who was trained to be the assailant in the padded suit. In the group, reasons for taking the class ranged from recent muggings to rape to feeling unsafe in general or vague and frankly upsetting feelings of being unsafe in one’s own home. Oh, and a few women had recently moved to sketchier neighborhoods. In terms of age and ethnicity, we were equally diverse. My friend was taking it for the 5th time and had brought another friend of hers along, too.

I BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF THE PADDED DUDE, YO.

God, it was so fantastic. We did a lot of verbal and body language exercises, but we also learned a handful of strikes and did a few full-force fights with the padded guy. The first time I fought back he went down after just the second strike! (The highly trained faux-assailants are taught to “go down” when they feel a KO or knock-out strike. I didn’t realize that and returned to the line pouting and asking my friend why I only got to hit him twice when everyone else got at least THREE strikes! Ha.)

It wasn’t even wombmoon, and I was very thankful for that. The pacing was pretty good and everyone was really supportive. Any questions that were asked got satisfactory and educational answers or responses.  Sudden or unexpected emotional bouts were handled with respect and focus. (Warning: Being faux-attacked from behind is REALLY intense in a bad way, but that’s the point. I did not get upset, but my friend assures me that the longer course will require waterproof mascara.) I feel really good for doing it!

In conclusion, I am so so so sold on signing up for the 3-day (24 hrs. of training) course as soon as I can afford it, for it is NOT cheap. Alas, my safety is priceless. After that course, I probably want to sign up for their advanced weapons course, too. They have another advanced course for handling multiple assailants at once, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself!

Seriously, if I won the lottery one of the first things I’d do is fly all my friends and loved ones and yes, even you, FFAF readers, and the Impact trainers to a villa in Antigua for unlimited private training, and it would be amazing.

This is from a different academy, but you’ll get the gist:

Song: Old Whore’s Diet by Rufus Wainwright (with Antony).

Scent: L’Artisan Parfumeur Mechant Loup, by Bertrand Duchaufour. Lord have mercy, this is masculine but soft. I suppose I mean that it isn’t abrasive despite notes of pepper, star anise, licorice, sandalwood, honey, hazelnut, myrrh, tonka bean and cedar, and truth be told I am somewhat reminded of the fine scotch whiskys we’ve been trying this year. (It seems I am on a sort of subconscious myrrh kick, also.) Smooth but aggressive. Their description is kind of adorable – “Full of forest scents with the heart of hazelnut! Mechant Loup is a woody perfume, which will soften and sweeten the most incorrigible charmer inside every man.” This is absolutely a big, warm, manly scent for Fall or Winter. I’d love it on M, I think, but not so much on myself. I’ll have to update this later once it’s fully dried down! (And maybe after I’ve convinced M to give it a shot.)

Confession: Late last night, M noticed lights flashing outside and the next thing I knew, she was motioning frantically for me to come over and take a look and shouting about long poles and WHAT THE HELL and ZOMG there was some sort of covert alien transportation thing going on. It’s all wrapped up nice and tight for you in this most excellent video with an Of Montreal song (Sink The Seine). It was some sort of wide load container thing, very shiny and new, and all these men were running to and fro with the police blocking the street and talking to people over the megaphone and proceeding very, very slowly. Totally bizarre. M ran to get her binoculars. What WAS in the massive box? Who can say?

When: Monday, Feb. 23rd, 2009.

What: James Jeans, H&M dress-as-top, white leather motorcycle jacket from Bebe. Black and white silk scarf from Italy, courtesy of my BFF’s travels there years ago. Stiletto boots from Charles David. (Come back, Butane! I ? you!) Classic silver watch by Guess.

Confession: My new job is making me totally geek out all over again. I bet the last thing y’all would expect is that I previously managed not one, but TWO organization’s networks, IT departments and myriad databases! Some things you never really shake, like being a Linux geek who once only ever used command-line email clients, bits of SQL, the thrill of a perfectly written query and wanting to lick your monitor because your outputs are so so so fucking pretty.  Anyway, after all that having gone dormant in recent years, just like that it’s like BOOM! Oh hai. U R such a fucken nerd!

Scent: Parfumerie Generale’s Private Collection Psychotrope, with notes of cyclamen, violet, jasmine, lilac, woods, black leather, and musk. When you open it up and apply it, it kind of stalk-stomps out of its glass in a dark floral cloud. Shit is moody. It’s supposed to be a flower with leather petals, or some sort leather core tightly wrapped in protective flowers, but the sweetness is lost on my skin, and all that’s left is the leather and stern, powdery violet. M said it smelled like a flower market on my neck, but on my wrists it smelled “like a flower market forgotten in the bottom of someone’s drawer.” The petite was not a fan either! I envy women who can wear this with the sweetness it was meant to embody!

PS. The name of this post came from a very good old friend of mine who is no longer a friend of mine. It stuck. She didn’t! I rather like it. (The quote, that is.) It suits me, although I’m not even sure what one’s mother would say about me, in the way of warnings.

When: Friday, Feb. 20th, 2009.

What: James Jeans, white thermal from The Gap, striped corduroy and taffeta cropped jacket by Avocado. Scarf from Old San Juan boutique, gray booties by Bebe.

Scent: Bois Farine by L’Artisan Parfumeur. Hells bells, I don’t even know what to make of this scent. I don’t like it at all, but it intrigues me. What IS that? Why? It’s all playdoh and imitation vanilla at the beginning, and it takes its sweet molasses ass time drying down to something mildly tolerable, but still…off. There’s a subtle sweetness and heavy woodiness and something foody, which is consistent with reviews by others. The notes are fennel seed, white iris, white cedar, sandalwood, benzoin, gaiacwood and farine flower. I am not for it and it shows real true dedication that I put it on twice just to give y’all this review, because I really and truly cannot stand it. Well!

Confession: I was at my fancy new job today. At home. In my kimono. All day long. It was fabulous. M worked from home, too, so here we were like two sickeningly happy peas in a pod! Hurrah! Here are some photos of my new “office” and the gorgeous blue kimono robe. Also, some short stacks of inspiration that I like to keep handy.

I’m experimenting with a new format! Some time ago, the snapshots on wordpress.com suddenly disabled, preventing y’all from clicking on new pics to get more detail. Some readers complained that they couldn’t see the awesomeness closer up, and that made me sad. As a result, instead of posting a ton of wee pics, I’m going to try and post only 3-4 larger ones. I hope that helps!

Anyway, take the poll below and let me know if you like it!
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When: Friday, February 6th, 2009.

What: James Jeans, black turtleneck sweater by Dolce Vita, vintage cropped wool coat with ruffled collar. Striped scarf by FCUK, boots by H&M.

Confession: Since this morning’s exchange with a friend is AMAZING, I am sharing it. She has Sunday reservations at an extremely fancy restaurant in the wine country, where people wait years and years to get reservations. She needed a suitable necktie. I needed donuts. Enjoy!

Friend: i’m watching all movies i can with the french on now. it’s ridiculous.je m’appelle jaque sparrow!9:41 AM me: BRING US DONUTS! Did that work? Why are you doing that? Also, you have boots. Friend: it might. would you loan me a tie for sunday? me: DORK.9:42 AM Absolutely. I have a mighty special vintage Yves Saint Laurent. Friend: wow me: M has knives and guns. There are many more to choose from.Friend: what kind of donuts do you want?are donuts as hard to find as pixy sticks?me: French Cruellers – chocolate, if they’re there, or just two sugary ones and one each of maple and chocolate.No, two maple.9:43 AMNo chocolate. Og th eplain. No!They are easier.There is a donut place on Lala Ave. Friend: where on Lala? oh, and the stationary place is totally closed.me: Between Peet’s and the Laundromat. OH NOES!WHY DID THEY TAKE THEIR SIGNS DOWN?!That is so sad.Man.9:44 AM Friend: maybe they sold them. me: You are rad. Friend: i have filthy unwashed hair. i will need to feed a dog, put on pants, procure pastries. me: So, I’m not wearing a bra and look like a slob and have no makeup on.Yes and yes and yes.Friend: fine, then we’ll all be hobos.me: GREAT!Spectacular. Friend: okay then, see you in a bit. me: YAH! You are Lord. See you!

Yes, I spelled cruller wrong and yes, she arrived with a half dozen assortment of perfect deliciousness. No crullers, though. They were all out. Maybe I swabbed a little lip balm and mascara on before she got there; it was the kind thing to do, really. Even hobos deserve to feel pretty. I did not, however, put a bra on.